ADVERTISEMENT. FEW persons, it may be asserted, have ever been so well qualified for the task of depicting the characteristic peculiarities, and of reviving associations, historical and anecdotical, of the more remarkable London localities, as the Author of the following Work. Amongst other pursuits, he was engaged with zealous industry, for a very long period, in collecting materials for it, which cherished project, although nearly completed by him, he did not live to see published. The duties of his situation as Keeper of the Prints in the British Museum, while they furnished him with unusual facilities for improving and extending his design, interfered no doubt with the progress of its completion. Residing for the greater part of his life in London, his extensive local knowledge, the result of an ardent love of antiquarian and biographical study, was constantly enriched by the communications of kindred spirits, prompted by his pleasant gossipy humour and rich fund of anecdote to aid him in this his "labour of love." His Sketches and Recollections of the Streets of London, accordingly will be found to contain a fulness and variety of illustrative matter conveyed in an easy original style, rarely met with in similar works. Probably no city in the world possesses such an extent and variety of interest as the metropolis of England; yet how little is it known to the vast majority of its in-dwellers! Most of the proud names, however, which have exalted the genius of Britain, are connected with the "Streets of London." Who can perambulate the spots made familiar by Shakspeare, Ben Jonson, Dryden, Pope, Addison, Steele, Fielding, Gay, Dr. Johnson, Goldsmith, Hogarth and Reynolds, without a keener relish, and a better appreciation of the great poets, wits, artists, and philosophers who have identified their names with these scenes? readers imbued with a knowledge of English history and literature, this work, it is hoped, will prove very acceptable; while the more numerous class of less informed observers cannot fail to derive instruction, under the pleasant guise of entertainment, from a perusal of its pages. To LONDON, NOVEMBER, 1849. THE EDITOR. CONTENTS OF London; variety of its inhabitants-Romance and entertainment of its streets -Apsley House-Duke of Wellington's equestrian statue-Hyde Park Corner a century ago, its suttling-house and itinerant barbers-Anecdote of Sir Richard Steele and Richard Savage-London fortified in 1642- Roundhead enthusiasm-The Elgin marbles, and Byron's indignation at their removal-George III. a designer of edifices-May Fair, its performers and performances-Duck-hunting-Shepherd's Market-Pulteney Hotel -Van Nost, the manufacturer of leaden figures-Bath House, its magnifi- cence-Clarges Street-Mansion of Sir Francis Burdett-Berkeley House (on its site Devonshire House), account of the mansion, temp. Charles II. -Hay Hill, encounter between Cavaliers and Roundheads on-Clarendon House-Burlington House commemorated by Gay-The Albany (York House)-Paintings in St. James's Vestry-room-Artists buried in St. James's Churchyard-The Egyptian Hall-Anecdotes connected with the "White Bear"-Winstanley's Water Theatre: Bills of Performances- Windmill Street-Pickadill, definition of the term-Piccadilly-Remark- able houses in the Haymarket-The Little Theatre, anecdotes connected with it-Broughton, the pugilist-Colley Cibber, an amateur-Fight be- The Italian Opera House-Nature of this theatre and its destruction-The new theatre-Mansion of the Duke of St. Albans-Market in St. James's Fields-Mrs. Oldfield, the actress-The Mulberry Gardens; Dryden a frequenter of them-Ladies there in masks-Gaming-house-Celebrated residents of Arlington Street-St. James's Street-Attempted assassination of the Duke of Ormond-The celebrated Clubs of this street; Crockford's, |